Manufacture of shoes



y 1941. H. J. WILLMOTT 2,243,142

MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Filed Feb. 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 AZ a 40 44 /0 IlHHHHH 1 4e 506 2 a m g v May 27, 1941. H. J. WELLMOTT MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Filed Feb. 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 27, 1941 MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Herbert J. Willmott, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemingtcn, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 15, 1940, Serial No. 318,999 6 Claims. c1. 12-142) This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of shoes having premolded quarters or back parts. The invention is herein illustrated with reference to the attachment of a premolded back part to an insole in the manufacture of shoes having two-part uppers, although it is not limited in its application to shoes having separate back parts.

In the manufacture of sandals and other shoes having two-part uppers it is a present commercial practice to mold the back parts or quarter portions of the uppers to last conforming shape before assembling them with the insoles. In making a shoe having such a premolded back part there are no pulling-over or lasting operations to be performed, the back part being merely assembled with an insole on a last and the bottom flange of the back part being secured as by tacks or staples to the insole. In carrying out this practice, however, it has been found that the back parts are liable to become distorted as to their lengthwise contours after having been molded and before being applied to the shoes and that they are frequently distorted more or less in the act of attaching them to the insoles with the result that the shoes do not compare favorably with shoes the back parts of which have been shaped on the lasts by pullingover and lasting operations. In order to prevent such distortion of the molded quarter portions of shoe uppers it has been proposed heretofore to connect the inturned lower marginal portions of the opposite sides of the quarter portions by means of a bar or strip and while this has advantages the connecting bar or strip must be left in the shoe or it is necessary to perform an extra operation for the purpose of removing it before the outsole is applied.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of attaching back parts of shoe uppers the practice of which will overcome the difiiculties above referred to.

My improved method, as herein illustrated, involves assembling a premolded back part with an insole on a last, driving fastenings one at a time through the bottom flange of the back part and into the insole at a plurality of points spaced lengthwise of the flange, and pressing the back part against the last and toward the edge of t the insole at a point adjacent to where the fastening is to be driven just prior to the driving of each fastening and maintaining such pressure during the driving of the fastening. In assembling the back part with the insole on the last the front extremities of the sides or wings of the back part are alined with one another transversely of the last bottom, the rearmost portion of the back part is first pressed against the last and toward the edge of the insole by manipulating the shoe part assembly on the last so as to crowd the rear portion of the back part, at a location adjacent to the rear edge of the insole, against a fixed abutment. Then, while the back part is held pressed against the abutment, a fastening such as a staple is driven through the rear portion of the bottom flange of the back part and into the insole. Thereafter the last is manipulated to crowd the forward end portions of the sides or wings of the back part against the abutment and thus to cause the edge of the insole and the adjacent portions of the bottom flange to be pressed against the last and while this pressure is maintained the end portions of the wings are stapled to the insole. At each side of the back part, after its forward portion has been attached to the insole, staples are driven successively at a plurality of points lengthwise of the bottom flange between the staple at the forward portion and the staple at the rear portion of the back part, the back part being pressed against the last and toward the insole edge by manipulation of the last and shoe part assembly thereon so as to crowd portions of the back part against the last just prior to the driving of each staple and at a point adjacent to where the staple is to be driven, and to hold the back part against the last under pres sure while the staple is being driven.

The invention will be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in longitudinal section, of a shoe in the process of having the back part of a twopart upper assembled therewith, illustrating how the rear portion of the back part is positioned and attached to the insole;

Fig, 2 is a plan view of the rear portion of a shoe as it appears at the completion of the stage of operations illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shoe illustrating how the forward portion of the back part at one side of the shoe is positioned and attached to the insole;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the shoe as it appears at the stage of operations illustrated in Fig; 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the shoe as it appears after the forward portions of the back part have been secured to the insole at both sides of the shoe;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the shoe at the stage of operations indicated in Fig. and

. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the shoe as it appears after the back part has been completely attached to the insole.

The shoe illustrated in the drawings comprises an insole Ill and a two-part upper consisting of a forepart I2 and a back part or quarter I4. As illustrated, the insole is actually an insole unit consisting of a full length insole It, a heel and" shank reinforcing piece 18, a shank stiffener 20, and an edge binding 22.. The reinforcing piece l8 which may be made of fiberboard, leatherboard, or the like, is. co-extensive with the heel and shank portion of the insole and is secured as by means of cement to the lower or lasting side of the latter. The shank stifiener 20, which may consist of the usual relatively narrow strip of metal, is interposed between the reinforcing piece and the insole. The edge binding 2.2, which is folded. over the edge and narrow marginal. portions of the sides of the insole unit, extends along the shank portion and; around the forepart of the insole. As shown; the insole unit. In is secured. in place asby means of tacks 24 upon the bottom of a last 26 having a metallic plate 28- on the bottom. of its heel portion. In Fig,. 1 the forepart. l2 of. the upper is shown as having been lasted. and its lower marginal portion secured in overlastedposition upon the insole. The lastingv of the forepart I2 and the securing in place of its" overlasted margin may be accomplished in any desirable manner either before or after the back part I 4- has been applied to the" shoe, l

The back part 14 of: the upper, as illustrated, is a so-called molded back part consisting of an outer layer or quarter 30, an inner layer or quarter lining- 32-, and'a counter stiffener M- which is interposed betweerr the quarter and the lining. The several layers constituting the back part, after having been assembled with cement coatings suitably applied for securing the layers together; are molded to last-conforming slhape-before the back part is applied tothe last. The molding operation results inthe formation of an inturned bottom flange-36 which isto overlie the insole and is to be secured to the latter. The premolded: back part, although shaped to lastconformi-ng contour by the molds, will not-fit the last closely and accurately when assembled therewith because of the fact that the sides of the back part spread. or become opened up more or less upon release of the molding pressure as a result particularly of the inherent resiliency of the counter stiffener and thus they naturally assume positions in which they are spaced somewhat f-rom the last. Moreover, the back parts frequently become somewhat distorted from their initial holded shapes in other'respects after they leave the molds so that they may not fit the last with the desired accuracy. In accordance with the present invention, however, provision is made for insuring that a molded back part when finally secured to an insole will: accurately conform to the contour of the last. To-thisend, the molded back part is applied as will now be described.

A molded back part l4 is-mounted upon a last having an insole secured inplace upon its bottom surface, care being taken to see that the front endsof the bottom flange of the back part are positioned in alinement with each other. While the back part is held against the last by the hands of the operator sothat the ends of the bottom flange are maintained in alinement, the rear portion of the back part is pressed or crowded against the rear portions of the last and the insole thereon and while the back part is maintained under the influence of the pressing or crowding action a single fastening, such as a wire staple 38, is driven through the bottom flange 36 and through the insole unit 10, the staple being located substantially in the position in which it appears in' 2, and the points of the staple legs being clenched over against the inner side of the insole by means of the metallic bottom plate 28, as shown in Fig. 1.

Advantageously, the staple may be driven by means of a. staple fastening machine such, for example, as the machine disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,016,930, granted February 13, 1912, upon application of W. H. Borden. The staple driving nozzle of a machine such as that referred to is indicated at 40 in Fig. 1. Conveniently, the pressing of the back part against the last to position the bottom flange of the back part for the driving of the staple may be accomplished by manually pushing the last rearwardly to engage the rear portion of the back part with an abutment in the form of a roll 42 (Fig. 1) carried by a bracket 44 constituting a portion of the staple driving machine.

The roll 42 is-positioned relatively to the nozzle 4;} substantially as shown to engage the back part l4 approximately where it overlies the edge of the insole Ill-so that as the last is pressed toward the roll the latte-r will not only crowd the back part against the last but will insure that the lower portion of the back part will closely engage the edge of the insole. However, the roll may be positioned to engage the exterior of the back part in localities spaced somewhat farther above the bottom flange so that the pressure will be applied directly to the last itself. For the purpose of insuring that the engagement of the roll with the back part-will not result in damaging the latter, the periphery of the roll may be shaped transversely, asindicated, to limit its area of contact with the back part and the roll may be constructed of rubber or other suitable material capable of yielding slightly when the shoe is pressed against it. The material employed should. also be of such av nature as to provide for frictional engagement with the back part such as will tend to prevent the latter from slipping when engaged with the roll.

The last 26' is shown as being mounted to turn upona last pin 46 carried by a post 48 the lower end of which (not shown) may be pivoted for a limited amount of universal swinging movement so that as the last is turned upon the last pin any portion of the bottom flange of the back part may be presented in position for receiving a staple from the-nozzle 4!].-

After a staple has been driven into the work in the position indicated at a. in Fig. 2 the forward portion of one of the sides or wings of the back part is pressed into intimate engagement with the corresponding side of the last and edge of the insole and a staple is driven through the forward end portion of the bottom flange and through the insole in the location indicated at b in Fig. 4. Thereafter, in a successive series of operations, staples are driven through the bottom flange and insole at that side of the last in the positions indicated at c in Fig. 4, the back part being pressed into intimate engagement with the side of the last and the edge of the insole just prior to the driving of each staple, the pressure being applied to the back part in a locality adjacent to the locality where the staple is to be driven. Finally, the opposite side or wing of the back part is operated upon in a manner similar to that already described in connectionwith the first-mentioned side, i. e., the forward portion of the last-mentioned side is pressed against the last and secured in place by means of a staple which is driven in the location indicated at d in Fig. 6, and thereafter a plurality of staples are driven in the locations indicated at c in Fig. 6, the back part having been crowded against the last prior to the driving of each of said staples and in the immediate locality where these staples are to be driven. Advantageously, the staple driving machine hereinbefore referred to may be employed for driving these staples and the back part may be pressed into position to receive the staples by the expedient of forcing the work against the roll 42, the last being swung about the last pin 46 and otherwise moved by the swinging of the post 48 so as properly to position the back part relatively to the roll 42 and the nozzle 40 prior to the driving of each staple, the position of the work relatively to the roll 42 for the driving of a staple in the position b being indicated in Fig. 4, and the position of the work relatively to the roll for the driving of a staple in the position d being indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6.

I have found it desirable, after having driven a staple in the location a (Fig. 2) and another staple through the forward portion of the bottom flange at one side of the back part as, for example, in the location I) (Fig. 4) to then drive a series of staples progressively from the forward to the rear portion of the bottom flange at that side of the back part, and to proceed thereafter to drive a staple through the forward portion of the bottom flange at the opposite side in the location (1 (Fig. 6) and finally to drive a series of staples progressively rearwardly along the bottom flange of that side of the back part in the locations indicated at e in Fig. 6. The invention, however, is not restricted to this particular sequence of staple driving operations, it being desirable only that the rearmost portion of the back part be attached first and that the foremost portions of the wings or sides of the back part be attached thereafter and before the fastenings are applied in the locations designated at e and c.

In all cases, however, the back part is pressed toward the edge of the insole and into intimate engagement with the last just prior to the driving of each fastening and this pressure is maintained during the driving of the fastening, thus insuring that the back part, after having been attached, will accurately fit the last and will lie against or close to the edge of the insole. It has been found also that by attaching the foremost portion of each side or wing portion of the back part to the insole before attaching the remaining portions of the wings the bottom flange portions of the wings will lie smoothly against the insole without buckling or having any tendency to wrinkle as they would be very liable to do if, for example, the fastener driving operations were to progress forwardly from the rear of the back part before the forward portions are secured in place.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in providing a premolded back part having an inturned bottom flange, assembling the back part with an insole on a last with the front ends of the bottom flange positioned in alinement with each other, pressing the rear portion of the back part against the last and driving a fastening through the rear portion of said bottom flange and into the insole, thereafter engaging each side of the back part at a plurality of localities above the bottom flange and. spaced apart in directions lengthwise of the latter and pressing the back part toward the edge of the insole and against the last at each of said localities, and while the pressure is being maintained in each locality driving a fastening through the bottom flange and into the insole at a point adjacent to the point of application of the pressure.

2. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in providing a premolded back part having an inturned bottom flange, assembling the back part with an insole on a last, driving a fastening through the rear portion of said bottom flange and into the insole,subsequent- 1y driving a fastening through the forward end portion of the bottom flange at one side of the back part and into the insole, thereafter driving fastenings successively through the bottom flange and into the insole at a plurality of intermediate points spaced lengthwise of said flange, and applying external pressure to the back part in a locality above the bottom flange thereby crowding the back part against the last at a point adjacent to where the fastening is to be driven just prior to and during the driving of each fastening.

3. That improvement in methods of making shoes Which consists in providing a premolded back part having an inturned bottom flange, assembling the back part with an insole on a last, pressing the rear portion of the back part against the last, driving a fastening through the rear portion of said bottom flange and into the insole while the back part is held pressed against the last, and thereafter operating first upon one side and then upon the other side of the back part and at each of said operations pressing a portion of the exterior of the back part located just above the bottom flange thereof against the last and also driving a fastening through said bottom flange and into the insole.

4. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in mounting an insole upon a last, providing a premolded back part having an inturned bottom flange, mounting the back part upon the last with the bottom flange overlying the insole, pressing the rear portion of the back part toward the rear edge of the insole, driving a fastening through the rear portion of said bottom flange and into the insole permanently to fasten those parts together while holding the rear portion of the back part pressed toward the insole edge, thereafter driving a plurality of fastenings through said bottom flange and into said insole progressively along one side of the back part while holding that side pressed toward the insole edge, and finally driving a plurality of fastenings through said bottom flange and into said insole progressively along the opposite side of the back part while holding said side pressed toward the insole edge.

5. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in mounting an insole upon a last, providing a premolded back part having an inturned bottom flange and mounting the back part upon the last with the bottom flange'overlying the insole, crowding the rear portion of the back parttowardi the rear: end of the last and; the rear edge-of: the insoleand, While'maintaining; the back part in that relationto:the:last and insole, driving a fastening: through the rear portion of the bottom flange and into the insole permanently to fasten those parts together, crowding the forward extremity of one side of said back part against the corresponding side of the last and driving a fastening through said extremity into the insole while the latter is held against the last, and thereafter crowding the forward extremity of the other side of the back part and driving a fastening through said extremity While the latter is held against the last.

6. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in mounting an insole upon a last, providing a premolded back part having an inturned bottom flange and mounting the back part upon the last with the bottom flange overlying the insole, applying, external pressure to the rear portion of the back part and thereby; crowding it against the rear end of the last and toward the rear edge of the insole and while maintaining said pressure driving a fastening through the rear portion of the bottom flange and into the insole permanently to fasten those parts together, operating progressively rearwardfrom the forward extremity of the back part at oneside thereof to crowd the back part against the last at a plurality of spaced locations and while holding the back part against the lastineach location to drive a fastening through said. bottom flange and into the insole,v and thereafter operating in a like manner at the opposite side of the-back part.

HERBERT J. WILLMO- I'T. 

